A former Dorset Police officer has been sentenced after misconduct involving a domestic abuse victim.
James McClements, aged 35, pleaded guilty to misconduct in a public office at Bristol Crown Court on Friday 10 April and was sentenced at the same court on Tuesday 16 June.
He was given 8 months in prison, suspended for 12 months, after forming an inappropriate sexual relationship with a victim of domestic abuse he had met during an investigation in November 2023.
McClements provided the victim with his personal telephone number, made inappropriate contact with her and pursued an intimate sexual relationship. On one occasion, he discouraged her from reporting contact with the reported domestic abuse perpetrator to protect himself.
The matter was reported to Dorset Police in November 2024. McClements was arrested and interviewed under caution, before resigning from the force in April last year.
A misconduct hearing on Tuesday 19 May found he had committed gross misconduct and would have been dismissed had he not already left Dorset Police.
Deputy Chief Constable Rachel Farrell said any police officer pursuing a sexual or improper relationship with a victim was “an abuse of their position” and said McClements had “fell well below the standards expected”.
She said the victim had placed her trust in police and praised her for the “courage and bravery” shown during the investigation.
Dorset Police said concerns about serving officers, staff or volunteers can be reported through the Police Anti-Corruption and Abuse Reporting Service, run by Crimestoppers.
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